Turnip, a biennial plant root vegetable, belongs to the mustard family of plants. These small to medium edible roots are round to oval in shape with flat top and bottom. The bottom of a turnip has a slender tapering taproot.
Turnip has a semi smooth surface ( similar to a carrot). Turnips are white with shade of purple or red ring on the stem end (due to exposure to sunlight). Turnip has a crisp and starchy flesh which has a sweet and slightly spicy flavor when raw. When cooked, the turnip looses its crunchiness and develops an earthy sweet flavor profile.
Average diameter of a turnip is about 5-8 cm ( 2 – 3 inches). The weight of turnip ranges from 120 – 180 grams (0.26 – 0.4 pounds or 4-6 ounces).
Scientific name of Turnip
Brassica Rapa
Other names of Turnip
- Shalgam
- Nabo
- Rapa
Nutrition facts of Turnip
*Serving size = 100 grams = 3.55 Ounces = 1/2 cup
*DV= % Daily Value (%DV indicates how much nutrients contribute to a person’s daily diet from a serving of a food. DV assists you in determining whether or not a serving of food is high or low in a particular nutrient.)
| Nutrient | Amount | Unit | DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 28 | KCAL | |
| Fat | 0.1 | GRAM | 0% |
| Protein | 0.9 | GRAM | 2% |
| Carbohydrate | 6.43 | GRAM | 2% |
Calories by source in Turnip:
- Calories by carbohydrate in Turnip = 84%
- Calories by fat in Turnip = 3%
- Calories by protein in Turnip = 13%
Fats and Fatty Acid profile of Turnip:
- Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) in Turnip = 76%
- Saturated fat (SFA) in Turnip = 16%
- Monounsaturated fat (MUFA) in Turnip = 8%
Detailed vitamin profile of Turnip, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, Folate, Niacin, Thiamin, and Riboflavin is shown in the chart at the end of the article.
Detailed mineral profile of Turnip, Sodium(Na), Calcium(Ca), Copper(Cu), Iron(Fe), Magnesium(Mg), Selenium(Se), Phosphorus(P), Potassium(K) and Zinc(Zn) is shown the chart at the end of the article.
Check freshness in Turnip
- Select fresh turnips without any soft spots or dents
- Should not be squishy. Should be dense and heavy for its size
- Should have matte finish skin and should not feel slippery to the touch and not sticky
- Younger Turnips are more juicer than old turnips
Availability of Turnip
- Turnips are available round the year
How to store Turnip
- Whole uncut turnips can be stored in in crisper section of refrigerator for 2-3 weeks
- Wrap the turnips in moist paper towel and store it in a container of plastic ziplock bag for best results
- Frozen turnip can be stored in freezer for 8 – 10 months
- Cut and peel the turnips and put the pieces in a freezer bag to store in the freezer
Complete nutrition facts of Turnip
Click on the link HERE to download high quality, high resolution and print ready PDF version of the Turnip nutrition chart/infographic.
